Revisiting Self-Determination Theory in the Prestige Economy of Science: Implications for Academic Motivation

Academic motivation has traditionally been analysed through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which emphasises autonomy, competence, and relatedness as essential psychological needs. However, in contemporary higher education, the economy of prestige plays an increasingly influential role in shaping academic behaviour, recognition, and career progression. This study addresses the gap in understanding how prestige influences the interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in academic contexts. The main aim of the study is to expand the theoretical framework of SDT by integrating the concept of prestige as a critical factor influencing academic motivation. The study develops a conceptual model that integrates prestige into SDT and empirically examines its operation through qualitative interviews with Polish academics, thus addressing a gap in motivation theory and contextualising it within the prestige economy of higher education. This qualitative study employed an interpretative–symbolic paradigm and conducted in-depth interviews with 11 academics from diverse disciplines and institutions in Poland. The data were analysed using thematic coding and triangulated by multiple researchers to ensure validity. The participants were selected purposively to capture a range of experiences related to academic motivation, prestige, and institutional dynamics. The findings reveal that prestige functions simultaneously as an intrinsic and extrinsic motivator. It enhances recognition, provides access to resources, and strengthens perceived competence and relatedness. However, it can also limit autonomy and creativity when academics align their work with dominant prestige norms. The study also finds that prestige shapes collaboration patterns, affects gendered access to academic recognition, and influences identity formation among scholars. By incorporating prestige into the SDT model, this paper offers a novel conceptual expansion of motivation theory in academia. It highlights how symbolic capital intersects with psychological needs and reveals the socio-cultural forces shaping motivation in higher education. This framework has implications for research on academic identity, resilience, and organisational behaviour. The study suggests that academic institutions should develop policies that support autonomy and intrinsic motivation while acknowledging the role of prestige. Strategies to balance recognition structures with individual well-being and ethical conduct are essential to fostering sustainable academic environments. The findings also inform leadership and policy-making in higher education regarding career evaluation systems and research funding mechanisms.